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Tasselstaat
The State of Tasselstaat (Duntrekaans: Tasselstaat Staat) is the northernmost mainland staat of the Republic of Saridan. It holds the nation's former capital of Vryburg and is distinguished by the large peninsula on its northern coast which is called die Horing or "The Horn". This province was named after the founder of Tasselist Ameliorate Hosianism and the ''Dunnische'' movement theologian & Begeleideprediker Gert van Tassel. History Natives The native Ikpi had lived on subsistence farming in the region for thousands of years. They lived in friendly and isolated clans. Duntrekker Arrival The Duntrekker's arrived in Tasselstaat. In the 1790s the Duntrekkers began to arrive in great numbers. The Ikpi were friendly and receptive to the newcomers. The Duntrekkers tried to convert the Ikpi but were ultimately unsuccessful. The region became overwhelmingly Duntrekker as they immigrated by the millions. Demographics Duntrekker 83% Iftgorroonen 11% Other 6 % Economy Tasselstaat's economy is driven by large numbers of small farmers and a small but powerful planter class. Coffee is the Staat's largest export, and it is it's chief source of income. The Coffee System The Coffee system is the economic system that dominates the Tasselstaat economy. Saridan's coffee system is unique and was developed in Boerestaat in 3202 while under the rule of King Gordon Gustaf Magnussen. Coffee producers developed a primitive version of the system at the Coffee Producers convention of 3202. Since then the system has developed with time to become the staple of not only Tasselstaat's economy, but Saridan's economy. Planter's Unions A Planter's Union is a concept developed in 3202. Multiple Plantation owner's invested in developing the Coffee Market. The Planters would fund infrastructural projects, Agricultural Science, and other projects that benefitted them as a whole. Originally only 4 Planter's Unions existed, and they were all in Boerestaat. However, currently 153 Planter's Unions exist throughout Saridan, 18 of which are in Tasselstaat. Union Distribution Companies In 3285 the first UDC was formed. The South Boerestaat Coffee Company was founded by the South Boerestaat Planter's Union, which was the most powerful Planter's Union in Saridan. A UDC agrees to purchase a full crop of Coffee from every member Plantation in the Planter's Union with which they are affiliated. In exchange the Planter's Union provides the company with capital to start up and expand. UDC's receive the coffee at discounted prices from the planters. The Planters agree to the discounted price because the UDC guarantees to buy their whole crop, which provides them with guaranteed income. When this system first emerged it caused great harm to the average person. Only 4 Planter's Union's existed at the time, and only 1 UDC which worked with every Planter's Union. Therefore this UDC had a total monoploy on coffee. Because the UDC purchased the full crop from nearly every Planter in Boerestaat there was no competition. However, over time more UDC's were formed as more Planter's Unions were formed. Today there are 112 UDC's serving 153 Planter's Unions. The system helps to guarantee income to Planters, which in turn helps to guarantee employment to laborers. It makes the otherwise volatile coffee market stable in Saridan. Farmer's Unions The first Farmer's Union was the Knights of Tea. The Knights of Tea were a group of small scale tea farmers, founded in 3324, fighting against the growing power of the Coffee Planter's Unions. Coffee Planters tried to force small tea and melon farmers to sell their land. The Knights of Tea resisted the Planters by taking quick and decisive action. They burned Planter's homes to the ground, salted the soil on Planter's fields and disrupted Coffee shipments. The resistance movement slowed the Planter's Unions down and kept them out of Tasselstaat for almost 20 years. However, the Knights were soon arrested and punished for thier crimes, and ironically the government seized their land when they were arrested, and sold that land to the Planters. Almost 100 years later in 3430, the National Farmer's Union was formed in Tasselstaat. The NFU pushed for land reform, and tried to undermine the overgrowing power of the Planters. The group would not gain any victories for 60 years, but they never dissolved. The NFU successfully enacted some minor Land Reform policies in 3494. The National Farmer's Union remains today. The group has two subgroups. The United Tea Growers of Saridan (UTG) and the National Melon Farmer's Union. (NMFU). In addition, the Free Farmer movement revitalized these unions, and increased membership drastically. Groups like the AFF (Army of Free Farmers) work along side the NFU. Culture